The invention is directed to an audio alarm device which is energized to provide an audible signal under certain conditions and more particularly to an audio alarm device small enough to be concealed in a container such as a wallet, billfold, briefcase, drawer of the like which will audibly warn a person in the presence of the wallet, billfold, briefcase, drawer or the like that an object normally there has been removed and not returned to the container.
Credit cards are well known and widely used by a great number of people. Generally most credit card users have a plurality of different types of credit cards. As a general rule a person having one or more credit cards carry those cards in a portion of their wallet or billfold in a location designated to receive and store a plurality of cards. One such portion is an area of elongated slots within the wallet which are staggered vertically between the normal bottom and top of the wallet or billfold. To use a selected card, the card is removed from its designated slot and delivered to a person that is using the card for recording the sale or a payment. It is not uncommon for customers then to replace the wallet or billfold in a pocket, purse or the like without returning the credit card to its designated slot. The loss of the card is generally not discovered until its use is again required.
A device used for this purpose is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,250. This Patent teaches a credit card carrier which includes a pair of flaps foldable upon each other. Each of the flaps carries a pair of spaced apart clip switches adapted for receiving credit cards therein. The clip switches are arranged in parallel interconnection with each other, and in series interconnected between a magnetically operated reed switch, a battery and an alarm. When a credit card is missing from one of the clip switches, and the magnetically operated switch is closed by the folding together of the flaps, the circuit between the battery and alarm is completed and the alarm is energized. This device is effective for the purpose for which it is designed that is detecting a missing credit card when the opposing flaps are closed over one another. The unit is bulky and requires that the magnetically operated switch and actuating magnet be carefully positioned so that the switch will change state when the flaps are folded together. The carrier assembly including the hanger, flaps, etc. is relatively economically expensive to construct. The flaps are formed by fiberboard or the like which results in a stiff non body conforming credit card holder. This type of device could not be conveniently carried in the hip pocket of the user. There is no teaching for use of the device for any other purpose other than with credit cards.
The present invention provides for a practical alarm device which overcomes the deficiencies of the above referenced device and others in this art.